


Light and Sweet

by 2jaeproject



Category: GOT7
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-08-12 22:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7951816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2jaeproject/pseuds/2jaeproject
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>in which an intelligent yet introverted jaebum and an outgoing, sometimes naive but equally as smart youngjae cross paths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Truth be told, Jaebum hated it here. But he hated the school’s library more. He didn’t like the humid air that clung to him as he tried to read. He didn’t like the various couples who decided to use their study time to make out and beg him for notes so they can cram the morning of an exam. The only thing he didn’t mind was the familiar, almost comforting, scent of old books.

The bookstore had an entirely different feel to it. The smell of decomposing pages was replaced by that of crisp air and stale coffee. The clatter of loose change and cash registers didn’t bother him much. It was almost, if not just as packed, as the library back at the university. Only here, people knew how to mind their business. It wasn’t full of careless college kids who didn’t seem to mind wasting their parents hard earned cash, but rather full of people with a mission, much like himself.

All in all, Jaebum wasn’t one for social interaction. He did what he needed to get done. He always made sure to mind his business, resulting in a little human contact as possible. If he had it his way, he’d be back at his dorm, but his roommate had informed him that he would be having a girl over later and he definitely did not want to stick around for _that._

Not that Jackson was a bad guy or anything. He was an exchange student from Hong Kong, and not much younger than Jaebum actually. Between his outgoing nature and his need to constantly do good in the world, Jaebum dubbed him as every parent’s dream. It was just… he could be a bit much at times. Jaebum tried his best to try and stifle a yawn, the result of a late night. Jackson has kept him up convinced there was a spider loose in the room.

 _“But, hyung, I_ saw _it. Something was running.”_

 _“I’ll demonstrate exactly what you should do to it in a minute if you don’t_ shut up.”

Jaebum sighed as he checked his pockets for money, he was ready to cave in and get a cup of coffee, which was another thing he hated about this place. Their coffee was terrible. But, he got up and made his way to the small coffee kiosk regardless.

“How can I help you?”, asked a cheery boy behind the counter. Jaebum didn’t recognize him as one of the usual employees but then again he didn’t usually wander to this part of the shop often. He appeared to be about 18 or 19 and he smiled like he had never been hurt before.

“A regular, medium hot coffee.”, said Jaebum. The boy flashed one last grin before getting to work. People like this were always so confusing. Jaebum couldn’t fathom how one could work in customer service and manage to be so chipper. He could hardly stand it if someone was breathing too loud.

Within a matter of minutes, the boy slid him a cup. “Your regular, medium hot coffee, sir.” He said this in a mockingly snobbish tone, probably in attempt to lighten the mood or be amicable. Jaebum tried his best to refrain from scowling as he placed his, what he thought was ridiculous, payment of almost 7000 won. The boy bit his lip in concentration as he counted out the change. Jaebum discovered his name was Youngjae upon reading his name tag. This was something he rarely did, but he was eager to get back to studying and often became more observant of the littlest when he was losing his patience.

“Have a nice day!”, said the boy, with a smile that didn’t seem to waver, even as Jaebum gave him a mere nod of the head as acknowledgement. Jaebum made his way back to the area he had chosen to study and got back to work. He brought the cup to his lips, eyes widening in surprise.

Jaebum almost spit out the coffee on the spot. It was light and sickeningly sweet… which was just the way he liked it (also it was still hot which didn’t help). His pride just got in the way too much to ever let the words escape from his mouth. He often suffered through cup after cup of almost black coffee, just to maintain his reputation. He looked back over to the Youngjae kid, who was busy attending to the next customer in line. He had no idea how the boy had confused regular with light and sweet, but he wasn’t complaining. He hadn’t been this satisfied with a customer service experience in the longest. That was saying a lot, considering he was almost never satisfied with anything. He even considered coming back. Just for a cup of coffee.

But that Youngjae boy…Jaebum was almost certain he couldn’t deal with his cheeriness every day. It was probably just a one time thing anyway. Chances were it was his first day on the job and he has messed up a bunch of orders. So Jaebum watched as the next customer left, he took a sip and seemed fine. So did the second and third. He sighed. He decided he would come back tomorrow. Not because he liked it here but, you know, just in case…


	2. Chapter Two

This was the fifth or sixth time this month that the man had come into the shop, and quite frankly, Youngjae was scared of him. Perhaps intimidated was a more appropriate term, but either way he looked like he buttered his bread with a butcher’s knife. Despite how flustered Youngjae became around him, he often found himself worried in the days that served as spaces between the man’s visits. Today was the fifth space in a particularly long wait.

Youngjae was surprised he came back more than once. To be honest, he had messed up the order the first time the man came. It had been his first day on the job and his hands were shaking too much to make even a black coffee efficiently. But, seeing as the man came back again, and again…and again, Youngjae figured he had to have done something right.

More often than not, he found himself wishing he had a name to match to the man’s face. He often made up a name for his customers, to keep himself from forgetting they were all people just like him. It stopped him from getting too anxious or caught up in his job. But no matter what name he tried out, it didn’t seem to fit.

The little bells twinkled as another customer entered. Youngjae turned to see if he recognized the face only to be disappointed. He frowned as he checked the clock mounted on the wall. His shift was about to end and still no sign of the man. He sighed and got on with his work. A second customer came soon after and still no luck. This time when the door opened, he could hear rain pounding against the pavement. Youngjae couldn’t help but scream on the inside. He was going to half to walk home in this now. He didn’t have enough change to take the bus today, nor did he have an umbrella. He was never really good at planning ahead. 

Two customers later and still no luck. Youngjae couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed once the time came for him to clock out. However, his worries were going to have to wait, as he had a bigger problem on his hands. He needed a ride home. After giving a cheerful goodbye to each of his coworkers, a habit he wasn’t planning on breaking despite his now sour mood, he situated himself on a bench just outside the bookshop. It was under a ledge, so he was shielded from the rain for the time being, but he couldn’t sit here forever. 

Youngjae pulled out his cell phone as he tried to think of someone he could call. Both his parents were out of town, as was his sister for college, so they wouldn’t be much of a help. He was sure his friends had other things they’d rather be doing. Take Yugyeom for example, who refused to put anything above dance practice. Yugyeom always stressed that he began practice at precisely 5 PM. IT was around five thirty now and Youngjae was sure Yugyeom wasn’t about to break his regimen for him when he didn’t even have the gas money to pay him back. So he was out of the question. 

But…but there _was_ Bambam. Bam was always complaining about having nothing to do, so Youngjae was sure he’d be free. He dialed the number and held the phone to his ear as he waited for someone to answer. 

A customer made their way to the entrance of the bookshop. With an annoyed groan and a few failed attempts, the customer managed to close his faulty umbrella, revealing his face. Youngjae felt his breath catch in his throat. It was The Man, wearing his familiar expression of what looked like a mixture of slight annoyance and discomfort. Youngjae didn’t even notice Bambam had answered the phone until the man went inside. 

_“Youngjae?….Youngjae? Helloooo?”_

_“_ Oh! Bambam! S-sorry.”, said Youngjae quickly. “But, hey, are you busy right now? Because I was wondering if you could– Hello?” 

Figuring Bambam had hung up, Youngjae checked the screen in annoyance only to find his phone had gone dead. He sighed for what seemed like the millionth time today as he began to rack his brain for another idea. He supposed his house wasn’t _that_ far of a walk from here, considering he made the trip almost every other day. He just wasn’t all too elated that his only source of warmth and protection was a flimsy sweatshirt. Regardless, he reluctantly decided that he would have to start walking soon, even if the rain didn’t let up.

It took Youngjae more than a few minutes to muster up the strength to leave the dry comfort of the bench. He braced himself as he took another step forward towards the pounding rain, stopping short when he felt a rush of cool air behind him followed by the tinkling of bells. 

It was The Man again, who seemed to be scowling at his cup of coffee. He switched his cup to his left hand as he pulled out his umbrella, wrestling with it again for a good minute before finally getting it open. He gave a sigh of annoyance before stepping out into the rain. He took about three steps before stopping, causing Youngjae’s heart to thump just a bit harder than before. In a slow, almost pained motion, he turned back around. 

“You’re still here?”

It took Youngjae a second to reply, seeing as he didn’t even realize the man was actually _talking to him._  He gulped before nodding quickly. He had never been this tongue tied before and that bothered him a great deal.

The Man sighed and tossed his barely touched coffee into the nearest garbage bin, shoving his hand in his pocket. “It’s been a while. Aren’t you cold out here?”

“N-no. Not really.”, Youngjae lied.

The Man must have been able to see right through him because he gave yet another exasperated sigh. “You have a ride?”

Youngjae shook his head, a lot slower this time. 

“There’s a bus route along this way right?”, asked The Man, still digging in his pocket.

“Well, yeah but…”, began Youngjae. Wait, he wasn’t going to…–?

Youngjae did his best to refrain from gasping as The Man approached him, placing some change in his hand. “You should take the bus. Before you catch a cold or die, kid.”, he said this in a very to the point tone. Before even waiting for a reply, he quickly turned to leave again.

“Um, s-sir, I couldn’t just…I can’t just take this.”, called Youngjae, finally finding his voice again.

The Man was already halfway to his car when Youngjae said this. “Are you worried about paying me back? So am I.”, he called back. “So I expect a proper cup of coffee tomorrow. Got it?” He engaged in yet another struggle with his umbrella before getting in his car and driving off before Youngjae could find the words to protest any further. 

_Did that…did that really just happen?_ Youngjae asked himself.

He looked down at the change in his still shaking hands. There happened to be exactly enough change for the bus fare. He squinted at the bus stop across the street. It wasn’t that far of a walk, and he knew the next bus would be coming within a few minutes, but he didn’t feel right about using the man’s money.

After some deep contemplation, he clutched the money tight in his hand before shoving it into his own pocket. He pulled his hood tight around his head, as if it would keep him any drier. He decided he had better start walking home now if he wanted to get back before dark.

 


	3. Chapter Three

There had been a particularly long line in the bookshop today. So long, Jaebum actually considered buying a book for once just to pass the time. He noticed that Youngjae was on his own today, which he thought was ridiculous considering how busy it was. He had never seen the boy look more flustered in his life. 

Jaebum's order was already prepared before he got to the counter. Someone was clearly eager to make it up to him from the day before. 

Jaebum reached into his pocket for his wallet but Youngjae put up a hand to stop him. "On the house.", he said with a sniffle and a weak smile. 

"Well, I'd like to buy something else, if that's fine with you.", said Jaebum. He eyed the slices of coffee cake on display, like he actually wanted one. He may have been cheap, but his frugal tendencies were overthrown by his pride. "I'll take one of those.", he said finally. 

Youngjae eyed him doubtfully, but packaged one up for him anyway. "Anything else?" Another sniffle. 

Jaebum shook his head. His face scrunched in confusion as he counted out the change Youngjae handed back to him. It was almost...it was practically enough for a bus fare. "I, uh... I don't think you got my change right.", he said slowly. 

Youngjae quickly looked down and bit his lip sheepishly, like a child who had just been scolded. Jaebum felt his own face suddenly grow hot and he wasnt sure why. "I...", began Youngjae. "I couldn't take your money, sir. I felt bad." 

Jaebum huffed a little but he couldn't bring himself to become full blown annoyed with the boy. "That explains the sniffling. You look like death.", he said bluntly. "...Do you have a ride today then?", he asked, gesturing to the windows, where the rain could still be seen, refusing to cease  

"N-no but I brought my umbrella this time. A thicker jacket too!. Plus its not raining as hard as it was yesterday! And I'm really not all that sick I--", said Youngjae quickly. 

Jaebum shook his head. He didn't understand how this boy worked at all. "What time do you get off?" 

"Five.", muttered Youngjae. 

"Ill be over there studying.", said Jaebum firmly, pointing to a discreet corner of the shop. "You can come find me when you're done." 

Youngjae didn't say anything and went on to helping the next customer. Nonetheless, Jaebum wasn't surprised when he looked up from the report he was reviewing to see what appeared to be a reluctant yet thankful Youngjae.

"Ready?" 

Youngjae nodded, avoiding eye contact at all costs. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he made his way towards the exit.

As they trudged silently to the car, Jaebum couldn't help but wonder about Youngjae. The boy was stubborn enough to walk God knows how long in pouring rain yet naiive enough to accept a ride from a practical stranger with nearly no protest. It threw him off his guard. 

What also caught Jaebum off guard was, in fact, himself. The fact that he was giving Youngjae a ride home, hell, the fact he was even so intrigued by him in the first place was odd to him.

The ride was quiet for the most part, except for Youngjae speaking up to give directions every now and then. Jaebum wasnt the most talkative guy out there, but something about the silence was bothering him. 

"Are you in school, Youngjae?" His own voice sounded weird to him.

Youngjae looked at him with a flustered expression. "How do you know my name?" 

Jaebum gestured to the apron he was clutching. "Name tag." 

"Oh...", Youngjae seemed to relax a little, but not fully. "But I'm not in school yet. I took a year off to save up. Im paying my own way through college. But I'd like to major in music therapy one day." Jaebum couldn't quite relate. He came from an average middle class family, but his genius and determination had earned him thousands in scholarships and grants.

"You're into music?", asked Jaebum as he turned a corner. Deep down he wanted to ask more, but of course he wasn't going to press on.

Youngjae nodded and looked down at his hands as if they were the most interesting thing in the world, a stark contrast from the outgoing boy he met that first day at the book shop. "What about you?" It was a simple question but it sounded as if he had chosen his words very carefully.

"I'm studying biomedical engineering," said Jaebum. 

Youngjae looked up expectantly, waiting for Jaebum to go on. 

"Finding new ways to benefit human health," he explained. He didn't know whether or not to go on. Small talk wasn't really his thing. Nor was excessive talking in general.

"Thats nice. So we both like to help people." Sniffle.

Jaebum had never thought of his career path as "helping people". He just liked solving practical problems. Numbers and science had always been easier for him to comprehend than human nature.

Youngjae suddenly sat upright. "And make a left here." This was the loudest and most sure of himself he sounded all day. The turn brought them to a corner and he went to unbuckle his seatbelt. "I can walk the rest of the way from here. I live just around the corner." Before Jaebum could say anything , or even fully stop the car for that matter, Youngjae stepped out the car. 

The boy stopped for a split second to bow a full ninety degrees. "Thank you, Mr...Mr--" 

"Im. Im Jaebum." 

What appeared to be a slight smile played across Youngjae's face, a glimmer of his cheeriness shining through again. "Thank you, Mr. Im." He quickly ran ahead, eventually  disappearing behind a hedge. 

Jaebum clutched the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. His foot was still on the brake. Should he...? No. That would by far be the creepiest thing he could do, other that turning up in the bookshop nearly five times a week. Yet, he found himself slowly letting pressure off the brake, then slowly turning a corner, then slowlg arriving in front of one of the bigget, nicest houses he'd ever seen. 

This couldn't have been where Youngjae ran off to. Why would a kid living in a house like  _this_ need to pay his own way through college? What was he even doing working at a mediocre coffee kiosk? Shouldn't he be set for life? 

Jaebum pulled away from the house as quick as he came. He felt all too weird, spending so much time and energy wondering about the boy who made his coffee. He made his way back to the university thinking about all the more important things he needed to do instead. Like revising his report or doing his laundry...there was also that medical documentary he wanted to finish watching. 

And that's when Jaebum saw it. The gray mass mocking him in the passengers seat. It smelt of coffee and new books. And it looked a lot like he'd be seeing Youngjae again a lot sooner than he thought.

He sighed as he made a U-turn. Of course, he could have waited until tomorrow to return Youngjae's sweatshirt, but he was doing a lot of pretty out of character things today, why break the cycle now?


	4. Chapter Four

  
Jaebum gingerly brought his hand to the doorbell. He held Youngjae's sweatshirt close enough so that it wouldn't get soaked from the rain, but far enough so it didn't look like he cared too much. He had sat in his car for about ten minutes before he decided to get out, and now he was slowly beginning to regret it. He could faintly hear a piano coming from inside, which stopped abruptly once Jaebum rang the doorbell. The sound of footsteps grew louder and he could feel his heart in his throat as the lock clicked and the door opened, revealing a wide eyed Youngjae. Jaebum felt his face grow hot for what seemed like the millionth time that day.  
  
The red faced boy and the pale faced boy stared at eachother for what seemed like forever, until Youngjae broke the silence.  
  
"W-what are you doing here?", he asked Jaebum hesitantly.  
  
Jaebum motioned the sweatshirt. "You left this."  
  
"Oh...sorry."  
  
Jaebum wasn't sure what to say next, so he held out the sweatshirt wordlessly. Youngjae reached out to grab it warily, as if it was something to be scared of. "Thank you.", he mumbled.  
  
Instead of leaving it at that, the two stood there for a minute, eduring yet another awkward silence.  
  
"So, uh...was that you playing?" asked Jaebum.  
  
"What are y-- oh, wait, you mean the piano?" The ground suddenly interested Youngjae  more than anything. "Yes."  
  
"I used to when i was younger. My parents thought it'd  make me more well rounded or something. But i hated it. I took about four lessons before I quit." said Jaebum. He was struggling to make conversation, as usual, but for some reason he didnt feel as pained as human interaction  usually made him feel.  
  
This resulted in a slight laugh from Youngjae, which helped break the tension a little, though it wasn't  too apparent why the tension was there. "It was practicing scales, wasnt it ?"  
  
Jaebum nodded. "I hated the idea of doing the same thing  everytime. I thought I was too advanced for that or something, I dont know..."  
  
Youngjae laughed again, this time a little louder. "Well, its not for everyone I guess. It's funny though. You seem to be pretty into routine now.", he said, referencing his now predictable trips to the bookshop.  
  
Jaebum's face went warm again as he searched for a reply. Getting himself a coffee every afternoon had become routine, he didn't even think twice about it anymore. He tried his best to change the subject without being to obvious, when he was fully capable of saying goodbye and leaving it at that. "What song were you playing back there? Is it original?"  
  
"I wish. It was Chopin's Spring Waltz. One of my favorites."  
  
Jaebum stared at the boy for a minute as his mind went blank. He truly know nothing about classical music. He tried his best to wrack his brain for an answer that didn't  sound totally idiotic.  
  
Youngjae seemed to read his mind. "I'm sure you'd  recognize some of his stuff if you heard it. Here."  He turned back to go inside and steated himself at the baby grand piano that was situated inside. Jaebum remained in the doorway, trying to keep his mouth from hanging open.  
  
Youngjae played a scale or two before stopping  to turn  back to Jaebum. "Aren't you cold just standing there like that?" He motioned for him to come inside. Jaebum did so wordlessly, cautiously closing the door behind him.  
  
"Now," began Youngjae, "do you recognize this one?" Jaebum watched in awe as the younger boy's fingers effortlessly swept across the keys, producing a familiar  melody.  
  
Jaebum listened for a minute. He recognized the piece right away, but wanted Youngjae to play on for a bit before speaking. If this is what music therapy was, he was doing a pretty good job of it. "I think so. I feel like I've  heard it somewhere before."  
  
"Chopin's op.9 no. 2. A lot of people know it even if they can't name it." The boy thought for a minute. "Ah, I bet you anything you know this one." He returned his hands to the keys and began to play a fast paced tune.  
  
"I know this one. Its Chopsticks." Jaebum was slightly embarrassed the only song he knew was one seven year old could play. 

  
"There you go." The smile on Youngjae's face widened.  
  
"I liked that other one though." said Jaebum suddenly, surprising both Youngjae and himself. "The Opal Nocturnal   whatever."  
  
"Nocturne Opus 9 No. 2?"  
  
"Yeah... that one."  
  
Youngjae began to play the soft melody again. "What do you like about it?"  
  
"It's light and..."  
  
"...Sweet?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Youngjae laughed for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Had it been anyone else on any other day and Jaebum would have been at his wits end. "You really don't  strike me as a light and sweet kind of guy, you know."  
  
Jaebum was still watching in amazement as Youngjae spoke and played at the same time, not faltering once. He was so distracted, he could hardly get irritated at Youngjae's statement. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well," Youngjae suddenly stopped playing and turned to face Jaebum. "Can I be honest with you?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You know I completely screwed your order up that first day, right? I was convinced you'd complain about me to my manager or something. I was scared it'd  be my first and last day on the job."  
  
Jaebum wasn't sure how to reply. Youngjae took his silence as a sign to go on. "But you came back. So that's why I've always made your coffee the same way since. But...Can I ask you something?"  
  
Jaebum appreciated how careful Youngjae was with his words without sugarcoating things. "Go ahead."  
  
"Wouldn't it just be easier to ask for your coffee light and sweet?" His playing suddenly stopped.  
  
This was a complicated topic for Jaebum. In fact, he had asked himself the same question  once or twice. He wasn't  able to answer it then and this time wasn't every different. It wasn't that simple. Sure, it all boiled down to his ego in the end but there was a little more to it than that. "I think  youre good at what you do."  
  
"But I've been a barista for all of two week. I'm sure you could find some place out there thats better..."  
  
"You're good at what you do." repeated Jaebum. This was his best attempt at reassuring the boy. He glanced at the ornate clock that hung feet below the house's high bolted cieling. It was almost a quarter past seven. But, for some reason, the only thing compelling Jaebum to leave was the fact that the campus security would give him hell if he got there after eight. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he thought of what to say.  
  
Youngjae, as perceptive as he was, didnt need a farewell speech. "Its gonna be dark soon. I didn't mean to keep you here this long. Next time I won't leave anything behind, I promise. There wont even be a next time. I'll  take the bus if you need me too. As a matter of fact..." He trailed off as he dug his hands in his pocket and held a few crumpled bills towards Jaebum. "This should cover the gas, right?"  
  
"I didn't mind at all. Honestly." Those who were close to Jaebum would have been shocked to hear him make such a statement (Thankfully, he wasnt close to many.) "I barely even used a quarter tank of gas. Don't worry. Here...I'll see myself out."  
  
He was halfway out the door when Youngjae called for him, too flustered to move from his spot on the piano bench.  
  
"Jaebum?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I-it was nice... to have someone listen to me play. I dont get that very often..."  
  
Jaebum turned to the boy and gave a smile. He had unexpectedly enjoyed himself. "Well, Youngjae. I'd  like to hear you play again sometime. That is...if thats okay with you."  
  
•••


	5. Chapter Five

It had been almost three months since the first day Jaebum had set foot in the bookshop. Youngjae couldn't remember exactly how he went from calling him "Sir" to "hyung", but it had happened within the last couple weeks. Fall had turned to winter and they became increasingly closer.

Jaebum would find himself finding excuses to go see Youngjae outside of the bookshop. He himself worked part time busing tables at a restaurant and, between the weekend rush and his university classes, he found the younger boy's piano skills served as an excellent way to unwind.

It was a chillier day than most. The gray clouds in the sky threatened to give a dusting of snow soon. On days like this, the store was almost completely dead or Youngjae was up to his neck in impatient customers. Today was particularly slow though, and he couldn't have been more thankful.

It took an hour or two for the first customer to arrive. A second, third and fourth soon followed. One of them caught Youngjae's eye. The man was not a regular here, Youngjae knew that much. He had a handsome face from what Youngjae could tell, but his snapback was pulled low, just above his eyes. When he ordered a green tea and a bagel, his accent was strong and he drew his words out. A foreigner, concluded Youngjae.

"Hey, um, could I ask you a question?", the man inquired as Youngjae handed him his order.

"Sure." replied Youngjae slowly.

"You haven't seen a guy in here lately...uh, on the taller side. Looks like he wants to kill everybody."

"I get a lot of customers, sir." Youngjae said with an apologetic shrug.

"Ah, ummm, hold on.", the man hummed as he scrolled through his camera roll. "Aha." He held his phone up so Youngjae could see the screen.

Youngjae's heart fell as he began to scrutinize the picture. It was a candid shot of Jaebum. Judging by his messy hair and his signature scowl, Youngjae guessed it was probably taken right when he had woken up. He didn't know why, but he felt something in the pit of his stomach. Something like a fire, caused my a mixture of slight anger and jealously. He found it unfair that someone was able to get close to Jaebum and take a picture this intimate. Of course, Jaebum wasn't some object that he owned. Yet, he still couldn't explain why he felt this way.

Youngjae swallowed before he finally spoke. "Y-yeah, he's stopped by a few times...I think. Why?"

The handsome stranger's eyebrows furrowed. "He comes here often, huh?" He took a good look around the book shop. "I mean, it makes sense. He does enjoy alone time. No one's gonna bother you in a place like this. Did he come in today?"

Youngjae shook his head. He wondered if the stranger knew Jaebum well enough to know that he didn't come to the bookshop until around three. Though, he was a bit late this time around.

The stranger sighed. "Where'd he go off to this time then?" It sounded much like he was thinking out loud. He turned back to Youngjae. "Can you tell me if...", he trailed off, like he was having second thoughts, then sighed. "Never mind."

He left and Youngjae got to helping the next customer in line. As of on cue, the jingle of the bells above the entrance of the shop signaled an appearance from Jaebum. He gave a slight smile once him and Youngjae made eye contact, before getting in line behind the customer being tended to.

"Hey." He said gently once it was his turn.

"Hi.", replied Youngjae curtly, he almost felt bad for his tone. He didn't know why he was suddenly so annoyed with Jaebum, but he got to work, preparing the coffee wordlessly.

The stranger who had gone off to stand on the side somewhere, had been drinking his tea while scrolling through whatever on his phone. He looked up and his eyes widened. "Jaebum-hyung?" 

Jaebum looked at the stranger in surprise. "...Jackson?" 

Youngjae narrowed his eyes at the Jackson character as his hand hovered over the pump for the coffee creamer.  _Jaebum-hyung?_

"I knew I'd find you here.", said Jackson triumphantly.

"How did you--?"

Jackson cut him off. His excitement clearly getting the est of him. "What brings you here so often anyway?"

Youngjae cut his eyes up at Jaebum as he was securing the lid to his coffee cup, curious as to what he would say.

"N-nothing. Just, you know, studying.", he replied after what seemed like forever. He was a terrible liar, Youngjae observed. 

"Studying?" Jackson's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "For what? Exams ended ages ago." His voice dripped with skepticism. He leaned in a little closer. "Is it...a girl?", he asked in a low voice.

"What? No.", said Jaebum nervously. Youngjae didn't understand why he was so flustered. He was almost compelled to speak up and tell Jackson the truth, it seemed harmless enough anyway, but the shade of red on Jaebum's face was enough to stop him. At least stop him from saying anything, not necessarily from being irritated. "Besides," Jaebum went on "studying a little extra never hurt." It was apparent that Jackson could see right through him too.  

Youngjae tried his best to keep from huffing in annoyance as he slid Jaebum's coffee to him from across the counter. Jaebum picked it up, shooting a worried glace at the boy. "Thanks.", he said quietly, almost apologetically. Youngjae remained silent, but Jaebum could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of his head, even as Jackson whisked him away for further interrogation.

* * * 

"What's wrong?", Jaebum said gently. In reality, he knew full well what was wrong, but couldn't stand the silence of the car ride. Usually it was filled with tales of odd customers or biographies of classical composers. Jaebum never spoke much during any of this, but he looked on with a smile on his face as Youngjae talked about the things he was passionatw about. Now, he watched as Youngjae parted his lips to speak, his face tinted red from the traffic light above them.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Youngjae...my coffee was practically black."  
  
"I forgot to add sugar. Sorry."  
  
"Youngjae..." Jaebum's voice wasn't very firm, he never got stern with Youngjae, but it was enough to make the boy look down at his hands as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.  
  
"Who was that guy?", he asked in a small voice.  
  
"Who? Jackson? He's my dorm mate."  
  
"Are you two close?"  
  
"I've known him for almost a year. I don't hate him."  
  
"Oh..." Youngjae squirmed in the passengers seat a bit. "...Jaebum-hyung?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Is there a coffee shop on your campus?"  
  
"There is...but I don't like the coffee there much. Why?" Jaebum turned a corner.  
  
"With the way you take your coffee, I'm not sure youre really one for quality.", said Youngjae honestly. "Even ours isn't that high grade."  
  
"Well, maybe you're right, but..." Jaebum stopped at another red light. He turned to Youngjae. "What are you trying to get at?"  
  
"Why do you come to the book shop so often?", he replied, not fully answering the question.  
  
"It's a good place to study. Its quiet. And away from anything. It gets too crowded at the university."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Huh?" Jaebum pulled the car into Youngjae's driveway, turning the engine off.  
  
Youngjae bit his lip, as if he were contemplating something, but instead of speaking he shook his head and sighed. "Thanks for the ride.", he said, turning to get out the car.  
  
"Youngjae, wait.", said Jaebum, grabbing the sleeve of his coat. "I...I'm sorry."  
  
Youngjae turned to face him again, eyes welling with tears. Jaebum felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach.  
  
"Youngjae..."  
  
"We're friends, right? You could've at least said that."  
  
It was Jaebum's turn to go silent. He hadn't put much thought to it, but it wasn't like they were strangers anymore. "I wasn't thinking."  
  
Youngjae leaned back on the headrest, the curves of his profile illuminated by slivers of moonlight. "I wish I could be more like you. All I ever do is think."  
  
Jaebum wasn't sure how to reply. He carefully chose his words as Youngjae wiped a tear away. "Is something else bothering you? Other than what happened earlier?"  
  
Youngjae turned to look at him and gave a sigh. "You could say that."  
  
"You know, you can always talk to me about it."  
  
He shook his head. More silence. Then he finally spoke again. "Do you have many friends, hyung?"  
  
"No. Not at all. It doesn't bother me as much as you'd think, though."  
  
Youngjae sniffed. "I was pretty popular during high school. I hated it there, though. It was a private school."  
  
Jaebum hated prying into other people's lives, but he constantly found himself wondering what kind of family he came from. He was so confused on how the boy could work so hard when it seemed like he could have anything he wanted.  
  
"But you know I've always felt a little lonely all my life.", Youngjae went on. His voice cracked a little. "I don't know why exactly, so I always felt a little stupid for it. But I always felt like people weren't interested in me for me. And I never felt like I could ever be myself. Whoever that is."  
  
"What do you mean?", asked Jaebum.  
  
Youngjae forced a little laugh. "I wish I knew."  
  
Jaebum gave him a reassuring pat on the arm, which he was almost certain didn't help. He cared, he truly did, but he was horrible at comforting people and even worse with physical interaction.  
  
He watched as the Youngjae's lip quivered a bit. He could tell he was trying to hold back more tears. "Thank you for being so good to me, hyung." Another sniff. "I should probably go now. I'm sure you should get home soon." He got out of the car, and Jaebum watched as he made his way to the front door, fumbling with his keys.  
  
"Wait, Youngjae.", Jaebum got out of the car. He wouldn't b able to sleep at night if he let Youngjae go home like this. The boy turned to face him with a tearstained face.  
  
"Youngjae...I really am sorry."  
  
"I'm not mad at you anymore. Really I'm not."

"Well, whatever is bothering you. I'm sorry that you have to deal with it. You're a good person." He meant that. He had never seen Youngjae so upset in the months he had spent with him.

"Y-you don't have to...I..." Youngjae's breath came out in little puffs as he stuttered. He eventually gave up on trying to form an intelligible sentence and ran over to Jaebum instead. "Thank you.", he said quietly, staring at the groud.

"If you ever--", Jaebum was cut off by a shortage of air. Youngjae had just pulled him into the tightest hug he had ever gotten in his life. Jaebum found himself hugging back too. It was a slow and awkward process for him but it was happening nonetheless.

He didn't rush Youngjae to get off of him. He heard a few muffled sniffles here and then and figured he should take all the time he needed. After what seemed like forever, Youngjae finally pulled away, looking up at him. "Thank you.", he said again.

"That's what friends are for, right?", replied Jaebum.

Youngjae's slight smile dropped as he suddenly broke eye contact, but not before Jaebum noticed the twinkle in his eyes disappear. "It's chilly out. Im sorry for keeping you out here like this. You should get back home." He turned to head back to the door before Jaebum could protest. 

Jaebum slowly made his way back to the car, but didnt turn the key in the ignition until Youngjae was safe and sound inside the warmth of his home. He gave one last wave to Jaebum from inside before shutting the door, and then everything was dark again.

 

 

 


	6. Chapter Six

"Hi.", said Jaebum in a small voice as he made his way up to the counter of the coffee kiosk.

"Hey.", said Youngjae.

"How are you?"

"I'm...alright." Youngjae eyed Jaebum suspiciously. "And you?" 

"Tired. I had a presentation to finish last night and I've been running around all day running errands." said Jaebum with a sniff.

"Hyung...you're sick.", said Youngjae. If Jaebums constant sniffling didnt give it away, his flushed face and the dark circles under his eyes did. "Why aren't you resting?" Though still stern, Youngjae's tone now had a hint of concern to it. 

Jaebum shook his head. "I'm fine. Like I said, I'm just a little tired."

Youngjae slid him a steaming cup a minute or two later. "Drink. Its cold out there and I'm sure thats not helping." 

"I'm fine, Youngjae." Jaebum repeated before bringing the cup to his lips, taking a sip, then quickly recoiling. 

"Too hot?" asked Youngjae.

"It's tea." Jaebum replied in a less than amused tone. 

"It's good for you.", said Youngjae.

"Could you at least sweeten it a bit more?" Jaebum asked with a slight pout. Youngjae found this amusing, as it seemed so out of character for him. He probably wasn't even aware he was pouting.

"Fine. But I'm using honey. It's better for your throat."

Jaebum gave a sigh, followed by a failed attempt to stifle a cough, but didn't protest. He didn't appear so on the outside, but Youngjae could actually be extremely stubborn.

"I'm not taking my eyes off you until you drink it." said Youngjae. 

Jaebum's pout intensified before he closed his eyes and took a sip of the dreaded liquid. 

"How is it?"

"Its..."

"Its not even that bad is it?" 

Jaebum shook his head reluctantly. Although he tried to play it off, Youngjae couldnt help but notice him grip onto the counter to keep his footing. It was clear he barely had the energy to stand. 

"I'll walk home today." stated Youngjae. 

"You're not." said Jaebum. "Not in this cold." 

"Then I'll take a taxi or I'll ask to leave a few minutes eatlier so I can catch the bus. You shouldn't have to cart me around constantly, especially when you're sick." 

"It'd be ridiculous for you to pay for a ride when you live a few blocks away, Youngjae." Another cough.

"Fine then. I have a licence. I can at least drive my way home. You're not in any state to be driving, hyung. And while we're at my place, you can rest." 

"Youngjae--"

"You need to rest." The tone in Youngjae's voice signaled the end of the conversation. This in charge side of hin was completely new to Jaebum. "Now, I'll be done in an hour. I'll ask my manager to let you rest in the break room. Make sure you drink all the tea, alright?" 

* * *

Youngjae frowned as he touched the back of his head to his own forehead. "You have a fever. Sit.", he said, motioning to the sofa. Jaebum didn't have time to protest before Youngjae disappeared to go to another room. He returned with a stack of about three or four thick blankets.

"Your parents won't mind?" Jaebum hesitated before situating himself on the couch.

Youngjae shrugged after placing the pile of blankets next to him. "They're not home often enough to care. Now lay down. You can barely stand."

Jaebum wasn't sure how to reply to this. He constantly had questions for Youngjae about his family. This time, however, his eyelids were becoming too heavy for him to really care. "Play me something, Youngjae? Please?" 

Youngjae gave a slight smile and went to sit on the piano bench. "Which song, hyung?" 

"The one I can never remember the title of." 

And so Youngjae's skilled fingers got to work. The sweet melody of Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 gently lulled Jaebum to sleep. Youngjae never turned down a chance to play for Jaebum. It was rewarding to see him relax. He'd never admit it himself, but Jaebum had the tendency to spread himself too thin at times.

Youngjae thought back to the night before. The night he had practically poured his entire heart out to Jaebum. He had never felt so conflicted in his life, and quite frankly, that scared him. Emotion in general was a scary topic for him. He had spent the majority of his life around emotionally unavailable people and that made it made him very cautious about his own.

Of course there was, the very slim, possibility that Jaebum could have felt the same way. Maybe...maybe he was just good at hiding it...? So caught up in his thoughts, Youngjae hit a wrong note. He quickly turned to see if Jaebum had noticed, but the older boy was fast asleep.

Youngjae got up from the bench and slowly walked over to the sofa. Jaebum was a good two times bigger than Youngjae. Not the type someone would want to pick a fight with for fun. But here, he looked so different. Peaceful and almost...vulnerable. Youngjae could see he was shivering slightly. He sighed as he pulled a blanket over Jaebum, making sure to cover him completely. 

"Goodnight, hyung. I love you." Youngjae dared to say aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. His heart stopped for a minute as he half hoped Jaebum would wake from his deep sleep and reply, but his rhythmic breathing didnt hint at that happening any time soon.

Youngjae made his way into the kitchen. He figured he should prepare something for whenever Jaebum woke up. Cooking was the only other thing he found therapeutic other than music, so he thought it'd help to take his mind off of...things. He didn't need a repeat of last night. It was a scary feeling, being inches away from telling Jaebum the truth.


End file.
